Beauty Care

Chill Out with a DIY Avocado Eye Mask

Summer is nearing it’s end, and the heat has yet to cease. Add this easy, do-it-yourself mask to your home beauty routine to cool down and feel refreshed. A chilled avocado eye mask not only can lower your body temperature and it’s also an ideal way to slow down and relax.*

Easy After-Dinner Avocado Eye Mask

The simplest way to make an avocado eye mask is to use the extra green pulp left in the skin when you’re done making guac (though guacamole isn’t the only thing you can make with avocados. Check out this video for five ideas on how to eat avocados).

Throw the leftover avocado skin and a spoon into the freezer for just a few minutes to chill. Chill a cup of water as well, with a few slices of cucumber if you want to make it extra special. Just don’t let them freeze!

When they are cool, use the back of the spoon to scrape the skin, gathering up that juicy green pulp. Wipe it gently under your eye for a refreshing way to cool down during those busy, hot summer days. Dip a few cotton balls in the chilled water and place them over the avocado eye mask. Sit back for 10 minutes and relax. Use warm water to remove.

Make-Ahead Avocado and Aloe Eye Mask

If you want an avocado eye mask recipe that you can keep in the fridge, try this mix of equal parts avocado, aloe vera gel, and cucumber. You can store this sealed in a small jar or a plastic bag for a few days, so it makes a great morning pick-me-up in your beauty routine.

If you want to mash your avocado or blend it until smooth, you need to be sure it is fully ripe. Can’t tell? Check out this video to see how you can tell when your avocado is ready for your face by holding it in the palm of your hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. If it gives a little and the skin is dark green, you’re good to go. If the skin is light green and it still feels hard to the touch, it needs a little more time to ripen. By the way, did you know you can actually speed up the ripening of an avocado by putting it in direct sunlight or in a brown paper sack with a banana?

Mash your avocado well, then mix in your aloe vera. For a smooth paste, chop in your chunks of cucumber, leaving the peel on. You can adjust the ingredients depending on how you want to apply the mask. For a thicker paste, use slightly more avocado, and slightly less cucumber. For a liquid, applied with cotton rounds to help you reach more of your inner eye, increase the cucumber, or use a bit of rosewater for its floral, calming scent.

Chill the paste well before using, or add some ice cubes to the liquid before dipping your cotton pads in. Again, recline and relax for 10 minutes, breathing deeply and resting while the ingredients do their work. Remove any avocado residue by gently washing your face in warm water.

*Before starting any new beauty routine, it’s always a good idea to consult your dermatologist.